Liquid ejecting apparatus and liquid ejecting method

Abstract

A liquid ejecting apparatus includes a plurality of nozzles; a moving portion which moves the plurality of nozzles to the medium; and a control portion which controls the plurality of nozzles and the moving portion. The plurality of nozzles include a first-type nozzle group which records dots using a nozzle use rate which is less than a first threshold value; a second-type nozzle group which records dots using a nozzle use rate which is the first threshold value or more, and less than a second threshold value; and a third-type nozzle group which records dots using a nozzle use rate of the second threshold value or more. The control portion executes multipass recording in which recording of dots is completed using main scanning passes of N times, ejects the liquid in order of ejecting of the first-type nozzle group and the third-type nozzle group with respect to a first region, ejects the liquid using the second-type nozzle group with respect to a second region which is close to the first region, and ejects the liquid in order of ejecting of the third-type nozzle group and the first-type nozzle group with respect to a third region which is close to the second region, but is not close to the first region.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
 a plurality of nozzles which eject liquid onto a medium; 
 a moving portion which relatively moves the plurality of nozzles to the medium; and 
 a control portion which controls the plurality of nozzles and the moving portion, 
 wherein the plurality of nozzles include 
 a first-type nozzle group which records dots by ejecting the liquid using a nozzle use rate which is less than a first threshold value, 
 a second-type nozzle group which records dots by ejecting the liquid using a nozzle use rate which is the first threshold value or more, and less than a second threshold value, and 
 a third-type nozzle group which records dots by ejecting the liquid using a nozzle use rate of the second threshold value or more, and 
 wherein the control portion executes multipass recording in which recording of dots on a main scanning line is completed using main scanning passes of N times (N is integer of 2 or more), ejects the liquid in order of ejecting of the first-type nozzle group and the third-type nozzle group with respect to a first region on the medium, ejects the liquid using the second-type nozzle group with respect to a second region which is close to the first region, and ejects the liquid in order of ejecting of the third-type nozzle group and the first-type nozzle group with respect to a third region which is close to the second region, but is not close to the first region. 
 
     
     
       2. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the number of nozzles of the first-type nozzle group and the number of nozzles of the third-type nozzle group are the same. 
 
     
     
       3. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the number of nozzles of the first-type nozzle group, the number of nozzles of the second-type nozzle group, and the number of nozzles of the third-type nozzle group are the same. 
 
     
     
       4. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the number of times of scanning which is performed while ejecting the liquid, and is necessary for forming the second region is smaller than the number of times of scanning which is performed while ejecting the liquid, and is necessary for forming the first region, and is smaller than the number of times of scanning which is performed while ejecting the liquid, and is necessary for forming the third region. 
 
     
     
       5. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first-type nozzle group, the second-type nozzle group, and the third-type nozzle group are arranged in order of the first-type nozzle group, the second-type nozzle group, the third-type nozzle group, the second-type nozzle group, and the first-type nozzle group in a sub-scanning direction. 
 
     
     
       6. The liquid ejecting apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the nozzle use rate of the first-type nozzle group is 0% or more, and less than 40%, the nozzle use rate of the second-type nozzle group is 40% or more, and less than 60%, and the nozzle use rate of the third-type nozzle group is 60% or more, and 100% or less. 
 
     
     
       7. A liquid ejecting method in which liquid is ejected to a medium from a plurality of nozzles, and the plurality of nozzles include
 a first-type nozzle group which performs ejecting using a nozzle use rate which is less than a first threshold value, 
 a second-type nozzle group which performs ejecting using a nozzle use rate which is the first threshold value or more, and less than a second threshold value, and 
 a third-type nozzle group which performs ejecting using a nozzle use rate of the second threshold value or more, the method comprising: 
 executing recording of dots on a main scanning line using multipass recording in which the recording of dots is completed using main scanning passes of N times (N is integer of 2 or more); 
 ejecting the liquid in order of ejecting using the first-type nozzle group and the third-type nozzle group with respect to a first region; 
 executing ejecting using the second-type nozzle group with respect to a second region which is close to the first region; and 
 ejecting the liquid in order of ejecting using the third-type nozzle group and the first-type nozzle group with respect to a third region which is close to the second region, but is not close to the first region.